Fang's Flock
by Loudpeltwarrior
Summary: Emily and her new hybrid-friends find themselves getting swept up into Fang's flock.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride. James Patterson owns it.**

**Emily's POV**

I pressed my back against the moist earth, still tense from the moments before.

I glanced at Zero. He looked pleased. I smiled.

We had escaped.

"Guys?" I whispered.

"Yeah?" Three voices came back.

"We should get out of here."

They nodded.

"Let's head north."

Again, they nodded.

Slowly, I pushed myself from my back to my knees and then to my feet. I glanced around and motioned to the others.

One by one, they popped up to stand next to me.

"Alright, so, we'll have to travel on foot." My voice sounded firm and I could tell. Two of them had wings because of their 2% avian. I had enhanced leg muscles and fear sensors because of my 2% Gazelle. And Otto had some kick-butt hand-to-hand battle moves because of his 2% Kangaroo.

So as you can tell, flying is a touchy subject for me.

They all, once again, nodded eagerly.

I looked around again and began to walk north.

"Um, Em?" Tulip spoke up. "North is the other way."

I swallowed, "Well, this way seems better." I said. "I can just tell. The fear sensors are kicking in."

Tulip didn't look so sure, but she nodded.

So we walked south. And boy, we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into.

**Fang's POV**

Okay, look, I didn't _want _to meet a beautiful Gazelle hybrid, but that's just how things happen.

I whirled around, hearing footsteps. God, did I ever get a break?

"Otto, hurry up!"

I raised an eyebrow. That didn't sound like an Eraser, unless they suddenly cared about each other.

"But I'm tired!"

"I'm sorry, Otto, but we're almost there!"

_Plop!_

The sound of a butt against pavement echoed in my ears.

"I don't want to be a freak anymore!" The so called 'Otto' sobbed.

_Freak?_ I moved toward the voices. I rounded a corner... And that's when I saw Emily.

Emily bent over Otto, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, don't say that. We're cool. _You're_ cool! You can beat up a million Dogbreaths!"

_Dogbreaths?_

"Um, hi?" I stepped out of the shadows, my gaze immediately falling on Emily. God, she looked amazing… Even with a thick coat of dirt clinging to her.

"Holy!" Emily fell backwards, the rest of them stifled laughs.

"I'm Fang." I said, ignoring Emily's fall. "You guys are?"

Emily then stood, staring at me with laser beam-like-eyes. "What's it to ya?"

"Don't pretend to be brave." I rolled my eyes. "You guys are hybrids, right?"

"Maybe." She crossed her arms.

"I am too." I shrugged my shoulder and rolled out my wings.

Tulip and Zero gasped.

"We can do that!" Tulip whispered and she and Zero unfurled their own wings.

"Fine." Emily growled. "I'm Emily, that's Tulip, he's Zero, and this is Otto." She ruffled Otto's hair.

"Hm. Nice names." Fang commented. "So they have Avian... And you have?"

"Gazelle." She muttered. "And Otto's Kangaroo."

"Oh. So I guess that means no flying."

"Why would we be on the _ground_ if we could _fly?_" Emily shot at me.

"Hey, calm down." I held up my hands. "I've come to make a deal with you guys."

Zero raised an eyebrow.

"If you join me, you can... er... be safe... and... warm... and... just safe, with food and stuff." I shrugged.

Emily's eyes narrowed in thought. "O-okay... Only because we need it."

I grinned. "Great."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride, by James Patterson**

Emily's POV

I hated Fang already. We didn't _need_ help. I only gave in because we all needed to rest and eat and stuff.

Fang keeps looking at me like I'm supposed to do something. Like, when Otto does his weird burp thing, or when Tulip makes the plants wrap around us when we're sleeping.

Okay, yeah, probably should have done something with Tulip, but I'm still getting used to this stuff.

Today, we are out on the open road and looking for a place to stay. Oh, and guess what, I haven't ran in forever. My leg muscles are getting tight. I should probably stretch them out soon.

To conclude my wish for running, I said I was going out for awhile. So, ha.

I could feel the wind rushing through my hair as I zipped down the sidewalk, barely breaking a sweat as I reached a speed of 50 miles an hour. I was getting faster.

I could feel eyes boring into the back of my neck. (Go fear sensors!) I whirled around, my eyes locked onto a figure's dark gaze.

"Having fun?"

My skeptical expression melted into anger.

"Fang."

"You're pretty when you run." He said, looking as if he wasn't paying attention to his words.

"Excuse me?" I responded sharply.

"I er, mean, you're pretty _good_ at running." Fang muttered.

I rolled my eyes. "Anyway, you didn't have to follow me."

"Yeah, well, I wanted to stretch my wings."

I crossed my arms. "Whatev. You just followed me because I'm-" I glanced around, "_Preeeeetttyyy."_

Fang looked at me as if I had suddenly exploded.

I could see the anger and embarrassment flickering in his eyes. It made me feel good.

"You'll never say a word of that. Ever." His eyes narrowed in a threatening way.

"Sure." I shrugged. "Whatev." His frustrated look made me smirk.

Fang walked towards me.

"Woah, dude, no need to get all angry about it." I held up my hands. "I was just joking around."

He rolled his eyes. "What do you think I was gonna do? _Punch you?_"

"Maybe." "Well, I'm not." He retorted.

I rolled my eyes.

I suddenly grinned. "Anyway, I think we should get back. Zero's on the job, but still, even he can mess up."

He looked at me, confused.

"Oh... Well, er... Zero can like..." I stumbled for a second. "He has a protective energy around him. So as long as he's paying attention, everyone should be safe."

"That's... cool."

"Um, yeah, it is." I smiled again.

I turned and started down the path, Fang behind me.

"Oh, and by the way, you have some food on your face."

I touched my cheeks, finding chocolate pudding smeared across.

Jerk.

**(Authors Note: Short chapter. 8D)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride, by James Patterson**

Emily's POV

Right, so where were we? Oh, yeah. In the middle of an Eraser fight. (Fang told us the correct name for the Dogbreaths sooo...)

My leg swung upward, my body making an almost perfect line as I cracked the dude's jaw.

Wait, no, rewind...

My eyes snapped open, Otto's enraged cries echoing through our make-shift camp.

I was up in seconds, lashing out blindly with my fists.

That was my first mistake. (_Note to self: Don't use fists. Not enough strength._)

My second mistake, of course, was not properly waking up. My reflexes were on slow-mo and I looked like a complete fool next to Fang, who was up and fighting without a flaw.

As I started to find my bearings, my leg swung upward, my boding making an almost perfect line as I cracked an Eraser's jaw.

"Oh snap!" I heard Otto's high pitched voice behind me.

I ignored him and swung around to kick another, but something grabbed me from behind.

I yelled and swung my elbow around. (_Note to self: Don't use arms. AT ALL.)_

My captor didn't even stumble when my elbow connected with it's rib cage.

"Jeez, Em." It's voice was deep... A guy, possibly? "I'm trying to get you away from here." I recognized that voice!

"Zero?"

"Yup."

"Let me go!" I whined. "I gotta help.. them..." I looked around, all the Erasers were gone... Just Fang and Otto were left standing.

"Exactly." Only then did Zero let go.

"Ugh." I cradled myself. "You have a really strong grip."

He grinned.

"Nice job." Fang walked up to his, barely out of breath. "Perfect timing, Zero."

I narrowed my eyes at him, my hate growing.

"Let's head into to town, grab something to eat." He suggested.

We all nodded, even me.

"Great."

Our group headed out, me taking up the rear.

* * *

Fang soon joined me at the back, leaving Zero to lead.

"Nice fighting." He commented quietly.

"Why'd Zero stop me?" I blurted. "I mean..."

"Cause' Otto and I had it under control."

I clenched my fists. "Oh, so the _five year old_ fights better than me?

"You can't always use your legs." He said. "What happens when you get knocked off balance? I don't want you to get hurt."

Something inside me snapped. That was it. I _hated _ him with everything I had.

I slammed my palms into his chest, and surprisingly, he fell backwards and onto the ground.

"I don't care!" I yelled at him. "I'm not worth anything if I fight with my fists." Fury rose with every word. "A f_reaking five year old._ Otto is special, but a five year old fighting? You're stupid and you're retarded if you can't see what's wrong with that."

Fang stared up at me, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"What?" I spat.

"You're exactly like Max."

* * *

"Who the freak is Max?" I muttered to myself as I stalked away from Fang, my anger still bubbling.

As I reached the rest of the group, Zero looked at me, urgency tingling in his gaze.

I stopped and tried to sense our surroundings. Almost immediately, goose bumps tickled my arms.

Zero himself looked tense.

"Danger." We murmured together.

"Zero, get Fang. Tulip get in the air but don't go far. Otto, stay with me."

I wrapped my arms around the little boy, shielding him from the unknown threat.

Fang and Zero were back in seconds.

"Fang, carry Otto. We're flying."

"What about you?" Fang looked at me.

"Zero, you wouldn't mind carrying me, would you?" I asked him.

Zero shook his head. "I've done it before." I knew it was a lie, but I knew that he knew that I certainly didn't want to ride with Fang.

"Exactly."

Fang narrowed his eyes but nodded. He scooped up Otto and took off into the sky.

Zero held out his arms.

"Well, this isn't awkward." I said sarcastically and half jumped, half stepped into Zero's arms.

"Hold on." He said.

I opened my mouth to ask why, but it was too late.

Zero zipped into the sky, and I screamed.

_This is it. _I thought, my eyes shut tight. _I'm dead. _

Slowly, I opened my eyes.

Zero was laughing.

"Put your arms around my neck." He said after recovering. "It'll making holding on easier."

I rolled my eyes, trying to regain my self esteem. I clasped my hands together as I put both my arms around his neck, and we soared forward to catch up.


End file.
